Injury Bug: Please Go Away!

Day two of continuing to be tormented by the bad luck and injury bug. Sonuvamonkey hit the Sox again, this time claiming infielder Brent Dlugach, who dislocated his shoulder. Yeah, he's not a big leaguer as of this sitting, but he is a Sox, and he is injured.

I don't think I can handle this happening again. Can someone please put an end to this? Please?

And best of luck on recovery from the shoulder mishap, Brent. Hate to see injuries to anyone....

The only plus side is that the Sox are up 3-0 in the 8th.

Beckett: Hard Headed

Thanks, Ino Guerrero, for beaning our "ace" pitcher the day after his first spring training start. Just what we need.... more medical concerns. I thought we were starting with a clean slate this year! Someone please get the memo down to Fort Myers. For sanity's sake, please keep Ino away from Jon and Clay.

Tito was thankful that the ball hit Josh's head and not his shoulder. Due to his hard head, Tito suspects he'll be fine. I'm sure he will be, but this just isn't the kind of news I want to hear in March. Or ever.

Still... OMGBASEBALL! The boys managed victory against college kids in a split-squad double header on Saturday. Kevin Youkilis smacked the first home run of the pre-season with a three-run shot in the first inning of the first game. THAT is the kind of news I want to hear. Home runs and happiness, not bean-balls and badness. I was going for alliteration, but I still apologize for use of the word 'badness.'

Now, we're in the midst of Mayor's Cup Madness, and everyone in the entire world is waiting with baited breath to see who's taking home the cup this year. So far, the Sox and Twins are tied with one win apiece. The Twins took the Mayor's Cup opener on Sunday, in which Josh Beckett (pre-concussion) pitched two innings and allowed one run on two hits. During the Sox's 7-6 win against the Twins on Monday, Papi hit a three-run home run (if 3-run home runs become a habit with this team, I'll be ok with that), and Reddick hit a game-winning 2-run shot of his own. Jon Lester pitched today in a game that is going on as I type this. He threw 27 pitches in 2 innings of work (VERY economical. I am pleased!) So far, the Sox have taken a 1-0 lead going into the fourth. The best thing in the world right now is knowing that there is baseball to be followed. Hooray for spring!

And hooray for Beckett having a hard head! Seriously, I don't think I can handle any DL trips for any of my favorites right now....

Excitement: I Have It

I am truly excited and confused this morning. I got my notification from the Red Sox that I'm allowed to buy tickets for the Sox/Yanks or Sox/Cubs games. I've NEVER won one of these raffles before, so I'm just absolutely thrilled right off the bat. Yeah, I've gotten the second chance drawing for green monster seats once, but usually I'm just fighting like everyone else to get the leftover tickets after the lottery winners have feasted. Is this a good omen for the rest of my week? Man, I hope so, because I have got a lot going on and it would be nice if it would all go well.

I hope everyone else had good luck! And who knows, maybe we'll be sitting next to each other at Fenway!

Pitchers and Catchers: Reported!

During my fantastic adventure in New York yesterday, I remembered that I was actually adventuring on a holiday! That holiday? Pitchers and catchers reporting day. By all accounts, they're all accounted for. Some of them, such as Lackey and Dice, rolled in looking better than they have in past years. Other players, like Beckett, know they have a lot of making-up to do. Maybe because of how bad this winter has been, or maybe just because we have so many new reasons to be hopeful, this spring training is a highly anticipated event. To see Munchkin and Youk back on the diamond, to watch fastballs buzzing by, to see the heirarchy of the bullpen take shape, and to just get a glimpse of baseball... man. It's been such a long time coming, and reporting day means we are again one step closer. February has a lot of unofficial holidays for the baseball crazed.

So knowing that the boys were in camp made being in New York tolerable. I generally dislike the city. The smell of NYC has actually given me sinus infections in the past, so I try not to spend too much time there. However, American Idiot was on Broadway, and Billie Joe Armstrong was playing the role of St. Jimmy, so it's not something I could really skip. If you love Green Day, or Broadway, the play is absolutely worth it. It was nice to see American Idiot the way it was meant to be seen.

Now I'm all hyped up about seeing the show, and about the promise of seeing Jason Varitek back in his catcher's gear very, very soon! What more could I ask for on Valentine's Day than the promise of imminent baseball season? It's been a long time coming.

It's time, boys. Time to gear up, find those corners, and figure out what the gyroball is. Time to work the kinks out of your curves and time to slow down your changeup. Sharpen the fastballs, and get your game face out of hibernation. It's time to start putting some exclamation points behind all the promises of winter. Soon, all the baseballlessness of the last four months will be a distant memory. It's spring training, hooray!

Manny D: Mariner

Interesting to find out that a former pirate is now going to be a Mariner. I don't know what Manny's role was when he was a Black Pearl pirate... definitely wasn't admiral. Maybe he was a deck hand... whatever he was, he decided that life on the high seas was fun and exciting (as opposed to life under the sea that the Rays have to offer), and he'll be living on the left coast.

I'm not sorry that MDC isn't a Sox any more. I still wish him well. I'm glad he's getting the opportunity to make it back to the bigs after a pretty disasterous last few years. Sure, it's a minor league contract, but if Manny can right himself, he'll be back up to the show before we know it.

Darnit, now I'm feeling nostalgic for 2007.

Happy Truck Day!

I am indeed part of the baseball-crazed portion of Red Sox Nation that celebrates Truck Day, the most ridiculous holiday of the year! I'm happy to report that after about 20 ft. of snow (slight exaggeration? Perhaps.) in the last four weeks, we made it to the very first sign of spring. They're loading the truck and they're sending it on to Florida.

What I wouldn't do to be able to go with that truck. Unfortunately, every time I attend a spring training game, they trade or release a player I love, so I have to stay away. I understand that Tek isn't what he used to be, and Theo would happily release him if he had a better option at catcher.

Winter, that raging hormonal witch, is finally losing her grip on me. I drove to work in the snow this morning, and I was unfazed, because it's truck day! And then Sunday is reporting day! And then next Friday is ANOTHER reporting day! And then.... well, you get the picture. I'm a tad bit excited. Happy truck day, fellow Sox addicts!

Manny and Johnny: Tampa Bound

I know, I'm the last to the party on this... as usual. It's not that I was the last to hear. I'm sure I wasn't.... I was just preoccupied by football. Now that I know the Jets have no shot at winning ANYTHING, I can turn my attention back to that which I love most. And let me just say, Manny and Johnny signing with Tampa Bay is incredible and I approve wholeheartedly.

I'm not going to cheer for Johnny, of course. Those days are long behind me, and I just do not feel that someone who lies to his fans as brazenly as Johnny did deserves to regain the love and affection of said fans. I tend not to spend any energy focusing on him at all. I wouldn't boo him... I couldn't boo him. He won us a championship. But I can't cheer for him. Johnny has earned every bit of my silence, and he's lucky to have it.

Manny.... I don't think I have to get into my affections for Manny. I still love the guy, and no one has been able to convince me not to. I will always cheer for Manny, and I don't care how many people behind me are booing him. After all, Manny WAS always one of my favorite players, and no one even comes close to being as entertaining as he was. Now, I get to see Manny 18 times a year, and I hope he does well every single game except those 18. I'm going to enjoy seeing that beautiful swing more often again.

However, it's not really the signing of either of these two that excites me the most. The first thing that popped into my head when I heard the news was, 'Oh my God, does this mean Trot Nixon is in the running for the third outfield position?!' Being the unapologetic sentimentalist that I am, Trot is still very VERY high on my list of favorite players. If Tampa is hell-bent on reuniting our '04 outfield, it's only logical to assume that they're interested in Trot. Please tell me they're interested in Trot!

No, I know it's not likely, but it's not completely impossible, right? RIGHT?! How on Earth could anyone ever boo that outfield? By anyone, I mean anyone who is a fan of the Red Sox. We may not like Tampa, but with those three guys in their outfield, I'd have a hard time remembering that I dislike Tampa. Even if they don't bring Trot back, maybe they could have B.J. Upton wear a Trot mask... or just a really dirty hat. That would be ok, wouldn't it? Another reasonable substitute would be to bring Kapler back. I think he was only on a year contract, and I think it's expired now. Bring Gabe back, have HIM wear a really dirty Trot hat, and I will be the happiest girl alive.

I really have nothing to complain about this offseason. It's been a great offseason in my eyes. The only player I think we should have gotten but didn't, my coveted shortstop JJ Hardy, ends up at the stadium that's practically my summer home, so I'm cool with that, too. Cliff Lee isn't a Yankee, Vernon Wells is on the Angels, and Eric Gagne does not have a job in the majors. I have NOTHING to complain about. I'm just excited for the season. Truly and completely excited.

For me, baseball is so much different than football (in more ways than just the glaringly obvious). With football, they have to win. I take no joy or comfort from a loss, because there are only sixteen games to win or lose before the playoffs. With baseball, I can find high points in a loss. When the Sox lose, sure I get upset, but there's usually a game the next day to take away the sting. When the Sox get REALLY bad, it becomes comical and I can enjoy it. When the Pats are really bad, as they were last week, I was angry. Baseball is sometimes like the never ending second chance. And of course, baseball is also warm weather, beautiful sunsets, stadium-wide sing-alongs, t-shirts and shorts, home runs, and 96 mph fastballs on the corner. Football is pain and cold. That's all it is. Sure, sometimes baseball is pain, but most of the time, it's just summer, and I could REALLY use some of that.

Bring on truck day! I've been patient, but it's not going to last too much longer.